Wringer



Jy 16, 1940. N. L. ETTEN 8, 9 l

WRINGER Filed April 26, 1939 2 Shee'ts-Sheet 1 July 16, 1940. N, ET2,208,249

\ WRINGE;

Filed April 26, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 16, 1940 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to wringers for domestic washing machines andparticularly to a safety device for stopping rotation of the wringerrolls when roll pressure is released. Such devices have heretofore beenprovided but in various ways have proven faulty and troublesome inactual service.

In the present invention the applicant has provided a simplified form ofroll clutching device for a safety roll stop and one less liable todisarrangement and failure under actual working conditions. In carryingout the invention the applicant has developed a structure whereinmisalignment of parts, binding, and like faults are largely avoided andthus a positive long-lived safety roll stop is provided.

The novel features and details of the invention will be disclosed in thefollowing description and drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a broken elevation view showing the wringer rolls under normalroll pressure and the safety roll stop clutch in engagement: and

Fig. 2 is a similar broken elevation view showing the roll pressurereleased and the roll stop clutch disengaged.

Now referring to the drawings in which I show a preferred embodiment ofthe invention, I designate the lower frame of the wringer by the numeralill, and by the numeral i I the upper frame. The assembled wringerstructure is mounted on a conventional wringer head i2 driven by acoupling it which connects to a vertical drive shaft from the wringerdrive mechanism. The wringer head is controlled in a conventional mannerby the control handle it.

An upper roll i5 and a lower roll it are mounted in the wringer frame.The top frame is held on the lower frame by a conventional integrallatch i! on its outer end and by an unstable latching device on itsinner end. This unstable latch consists of a rounded projection I8 onthe top frame held by a latch i 9 hinged to the lower frame as shown. Aretaining latch 20 retains the hinged latch i9 and is controlled by aconventional release device (not shown) through the release button 2i.The rolls are held in pressure engagement by a conventional spring means23 (not shown) having a pressure adjustment screw 22.

The upper roll is joumaled in bearings 24 and 25. The inner end of thelower roll is journaled on a bearing 26 pivotally mounted on a cross rod21. The purpose of this construction is to provide means whereby anyslight misalignment of the bearing coupling 32 will be compensated forby tilting of the bearing 28 on the cross rod 21.

The outer end of the lower roll is iournaled in a bearing 28 mounted ina steel shoe 29 having a curved upper lip 28' abutting the outer end ofthe lower roll shaft IS. The bearing 28 and its shoe 29 is supported ona cross member 30 having an 5 upturned lip 3| abutting the lower edge ofthe shoe 29. The purpose of this construction will later be apparent.The inner end of the lower roll it is supported in a journal coupling 32pinned'to the wringer head drive shaft 33 by a 10 cross pin 34. Iprovide a loose fit between the shaft 33 and the coupling 32 in order toprovide a slight pivotal movement of the coupling 32 and a good contactwith the bearing 26. I have found in practice that these slightadjustments are necl8 essary in order to guard against binding in theparts. Similarly, I provide a rather loose fit between the inner endroll shaft and the journal coupling 32. The Journal coupling 32 drivesthe lower roll i6 through a cross slot 36 normally enm veloping a pin 31in the lower roll shaft. A compression spring 35 is placed between theends of the shafts as shown, and is of such length and strength tonormally force the lower roll it outwardly, as will later be explained.5

Now referring to Fig. 2, I show the top frame just after having beenreleased, the operator having touched the release button 2i, whichpermits the retainer latch 20 to slide endwise, thus releasing thehinged latch l9 and permitting the top 30 frame to move upward. Thisupward movement of the top frame ii is accomplished in a dual movementwherein the upper frame is tilted upward and then slides outwardly torelease the integral latch i1. With roll pressure released 35 the spring35 now forces the lower roll outwardly, tilting the outer bearing 28 inits shoe 29 pivoting about the vertical lip 3! of the supporting member30. It will be appreciated that in this movement the entire lower rolland shaft is the sliding member and it is of such length in relation tothe bearing coupling 32 that no binding friction will be developed. Thisis quite a different structure from small, short clutch couplingswherein such binding action is much more liable to occur than 45 in mystructure where the entire lower roll shaft is the movable member.Further, it will be appreciated that the upward tilting movement of thebearing 23 has very little binding effect on the clutch proper, and thislikewise contributes to the 50 effectiveness of my device.

It will further be appreciated that this outward movement of the lowerroll is in the same direction as the movement of the upper frame andupper roll when it is released from roll pres- 55 sure, and, therefore,this movement of the lower roll is accomplished with a minimum ofinterference from the upper roll.

When the upper frame is again latched on the lower frame and rollpressure restored, it will readily be appreciated that the lower roll,pivoting inward on the tilted bearing 28, will move easily with aminimum of interference to again place the pin 31 in clutchingengagement with the slot 36.

In general, I have provided a structure wherein the fewest possiblenumber of parts are employed and the moving element of my clutch is theentire lower roll shaft. This long element is very much less liable tobind than a shorter element and be moved, as it is, by a tilting outerhearing at its opposite end, far removed from the clutching mechanismwhich is thereby simplified. Thus I have provided a simple, positive andlong-lived safety roll stop mechanism.

Having thus described my invention,

I claim:

1. In a wringer, a frame, a pair of cooperative rolls, pressure meansfor the rolls, roll pressure release means, driving means for the drivenroll, clutch means on the driven roll operable by longitudinal movementof the roll, means to move the driven roll to effect disengagement ofthe clutch when roll pressure is released and to engage the clutch whenroll pressure is restored.

2. In a wringer, a frame, a pair of cooperative rolls, pressure meansfor the rolls, roll pressure release means, driving means for the drivenroll, clutch means on the driven roll operable by longitudinal movement01 the roll, spring means on the inner end of the driven roll shaft tomove the roll outward to eflect disengagement of the clutch when rollpressure is released, and a tilting outer bearing on the roll shaft tomove the roll inward to eflect clutch engagement when roll pressure isrestored.

3. In a wringer, a frame, a pair of cooperative rolls, Pressure meansfor the rolls, roll pressure release means, driving means for the drivenroll, said driving means including a clutch bearing coupling supportingthe inner end of the roll, a pivotal bearing supporting said coupling,clutch means on the driven roll operable by longitudinal movement of theroll, means to move the driven roll to eifect disengagement of theclutch when roll pressure is released and to engage the clutch when rollpressure is restored.

4. In a wringer, a frame, a pair of cooperative rolls, pressure meansfor the rolls, roll pressure release means, driving means for the drivenroll, said driving means including a clutch bearing coupling supportingthe inner end of the roll, a pivotal bearing supporting said coupling,clutch means on the driven roll operable by longitudinal movement of theroll, spring means on the inner end of the driven roll shaft to move theroll outward to efiect disengagement of the clutch when roll pressure isreleased, and a tilting outer bearing on the roll shaft to move the rollinward to effect clutch engagement when roll pressure is restored.

' NICHOLAS L. ETTEN.

